August 22, 2015

Google Chrome extensions will soon be 'largely compatible' with Firefox, Mozilla has announced.

The browser is introducing a new extension API that will make it easier for developers to create extensions that run across multiple browsers and better protect users from rogue add-ons and malware.

Called WebExtension, the new API is Blink-compatible, better documented and easier to use. It will make it easier for developers who build extensions for Opera and Google Chrome to bring them to Firefox with minimal changes needed.

Mozilla say that many existing Firefox add-ons will need to be redeveloped from scratch.

While they plan to “work with the community to improve and finalize the WebExtensions API, and […] help developers of unsupported add-ons make the transition to newer APIs and multi-process support,” the news of a reset is unlikely to go down well.

Support for XPCOM- and XUL-based Firefox add-ons is to be phased out. This could see many popular Firefox themes and interface-based add-ons, like Classic Theme Restorer, no longer be able to do what they do at present.

In an effort to reassure those worried, Mozillian Kev Needham has said that personalisation is an ‘area of differentiation’ they’re keen to keep.

WebExtensions is not the only change that Firefox's long-established add-ons platform is shouldering. Starting with Firefox 41, due September, existing extensions need to be validated and signed by Mozilla in order to run.

August 21, 2015

Final Fantasy VII has hit the iOS platform (but not for Android yet).Whilst an Android port is 100% confirmed, Square Enix does a great job in porting over its game to the mobile platform. Be ready to dip in your wallets because Final Fantasy VII will cost you around $19 on iTunes! This is definitely above Square Enix's typical $15 - $17 mark.

August 18, 2015

This is probably already old news to you but Google has finally revealed the name for their next version of Android: Marshmallow. Users were left guessing what Android M referred to: Milkshake, Moon Pie? But in the end, Marshmallow was chosen. Pretty original and as expected of Google.

August 12, 2015

In a new update that’s rolling out today, Pushbullet is gaining support for end-to-end encryption for notification mirroring, SMS as well as universal copy and paste. Many users have been requesting these features for quite some time now, so it’s great to see the Pushbullet team finally bring some added security benefits to the service.

What exactly is end-to-end encryption? For starters, in order to sync your notifications across multiple devices and platforms, Pushbullet needs to forward some of your personal data between devices. Although the Pushbullet team uses secure connections for transferring data, your data can still be seen by Pushbullet. End-to-end encryption means that your data is encrypted before it leaves your device, and isn’t able to be decrypted until it’s received by another device.

To set up this new feature, all you’ll need to do is pick a password and enter it on each device by heading to Settings>End-to-end encryption. Pushbullet will use the password to create a key that’s used to encrypt your data. This new feature is available from today for Android, Chrome and Windows. iOS and Mac devices will gain this feature sometime soon, and the Pushbullet team says support for Opera, Safari and Firefox is on its way too.

August 11, 2015

Google has announced on Tuesday morning that it would be restructuring it's core business from Google Inc. to Alphabet Inc. What does this all mean? Simply put, Google is become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet (the parent company) alongside other companies such as Nest and Calico.

What does this mean for you?

Don't worry, the engine you know and love will still be around, but it'll be slimmer and smaller and back to basics. Google won't disappear completely from the face of the earth but it'll just become a child company for Alphabet.

Who would have imagined that a large company like Google will become a subsidiary of another company. Well, it just did. Welcome, Alphabet.

August 2, 2015

Windows 10 has been out for nearly 5 days now and I've quickly picked up on most of the new features that this new version of Windows has to offer. I am loving the 4 corner window snapping and the multi workspaces. It's what I've been wanting since I started using Linux. Windows 10 is slick and fast and just works well for desktops and tablets alike. It's definitely worth the upgrade over 8.

Anyhow, Windows 10 should be silently downloading on your Windows 7/Windows 8 computer. You can also skip the queue and download it now via the link below!